Conventionally, as a document reading device that reads a double-sided document with images formed on both sides thereof, there are known a device including a document conveying device having a reversing mechanism for reversing the document and configured to conveying the document to a reading section for reading one side of the document, reversing the document using the reversing mechanism, and conveying once again the document to the reading section for reading the other side of the document, and a device including two first and second reading sections for reading one side of the document and the other side thereof, respectively.
In document reading devices that read both sides of the document using such two reading sections, there is known a device having a configuration in which a first reading unit is provided at a document reading device main body side, and a second reading unit is provided inside a U-shaped document conveying path.
Normally, the document conveying device is configured to be openable/closable with respect to an upper surface of a document reading device main body so as to allow a document placed on a contact glass for book reading to be read. Accordingly, shock or vibration often occurs in the document conveying device every time the document conveying device is opened/closed. Thus, inevitably, the second reading unit provided on the document conveying device side needs to be subjected to maintenance at a higher frequency than the first reading unit provided on the document reading device main body.
In a device where the second reading unit as described above is provided inside the U-shaped document conveying path formed in the document conveying device, a conveying guide constituting the document conveying path surrounds the second reading unit, so that it is necessary to pull the second reading unit for removal in a direction (document width direction) perpendicular to a document conveying direction, i.e., to a front side of the device (refer to, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).